A Second Chance
by polar815
Summary: Claire And Charlie fic, Claire comes to a realization... possibly more chapters to come


The waves crashed against the shore, and the skies were growing darker by the minute. She frantically ran to her tent with Aaron in her arms and let-out a sigh of relief when the rain started _after _she jumped in.

The other survivors started to respond to the storm. Jin ran out of his tent, shielding himself from the rain, and pulled Sun back in. The rain was getting heavy, and she had always hated storms.

Charlie approached the tent. He yelled something to Claire, but she could hear over a loud clap of thunder. "What?"

"Can I come in?"

Claire nodded, reluctantly. She still couldn't figure Charlie out. A week and a half ago, they were kissing on the beach, but now he spent all his time with Desmond, almost never looking her way until she practically drowns. Of course, it wasn't even Charlie who saved her…

"It's bloody flooding out there!" Charlie took off his sweatshirt and started to wring it out. A loud clap of thunder sounded, much louder then the previous one.

Aaron started to stir. "Oh no… Please Aaron; mommy's a little stressed, wake up a little later…" Another blast only a second after the flash of lighting woke the baby up completely.

Claire sighed, and wrapped him up. The storm was making the child anxious, and she already had a head ache.

Charlie could tell how exhausted Claire looked. "Hey, uh, Claire, let me take him."

"Please Charlie, I can handle-"

He interrupted her. "Claire, you need a break. Please, give him here." He held his arms out.

Claire was still weary about him and the baby, but she knew he was right. "Fine." Gently, she laid Aaron gently in Charlie's arms.

The Brit smiled, and started rocking the baby. "The little guy's anxious isn't he?" He started making funny faces, trying the cheer him up.

Claire laughed when he puffed his cheeks out. Charlie noticed, but tried to keep his concentration on calming Aaron.

Finally, the crying stopped. Charlie looked awkwardly around the tent- he still couldn't tell where he stood with Claire. "Um, here you go…" He gave Aaron back to Claire.

"Hey, Charlie… thanks…" He nodded.

"Can I sit down?"

Claire nodded. "Of course."

He took his seat on the san, next to Claire. They both sat there for what seemed like hours, saying nothing, and exchanging awkward glances.

Drops of rain started to fall less and less, until it was only drizzling, and the sky was a little less violent. Charlie knew he couldn't just sit there, doing nothing all day.

At last, he saw his reason to leave. He really liked Claire, but he was getting no where. Besides, he had to talk to Desmond anyways, who, luckily, passed by the tent.

"I've gotta go talk to Desmond, ok? I'll see you around." Charlie stood up and grabbed his shirt. "Bye Claire."

She was finding it hard to express her disappointment. She had finally let Charlie in, and he runs off after a lot of nothing. Maybe… Maybe she was hoping for something more…

"Ok, Bye… See you later." He nodded, and ran off after Desmond.

A few days later, Claire was feeling more relaxed. It hadn't stormed, and she was enjoying some quality time with Sun on the beach.

Jin waved at Sun, smiling. Sun returned the wave and smiled.

"Sun, how do you do it?"

"What do you mean?" Sun looked confused.

"Well, it's just... Jin has completely changed. You two have a wonderful relationship, and I can't seem to have any success with men at all"

"I'm not one to give advice." Sun looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was near. When she saw the coast was clear, she whispered to Claire.

"Can you keep a secret? Can I tell you something I haven't told anyone here?"

Claire nodded vehemently. She was glad that Sun trusted her enough to tell her something this big.

"Claire, I was going to leave Jin… right before we got on the plane… we were having troubles… I was ready to start a new life in America to get away from him, and my father."

The Australian girl was shocked. She knew they had problems- she was there right after the crash with Sun and Jin just like everyone else- but Sun didn't seem like the type to do that.

"Jin had been so different since we married. My father changed him… he became cruel and strict with me. But he gave me a white slower before we got on the plane. And he's changed. I gave him a second chance."

Claire thought about Charlie, when she was ready to abandon him because of the drugs. He tried so hard to change for Claire, and all she did was yell at him. Granted, he did take it too far… but maybe he needed another chance too.


End file.
